


Two of a Kind

by Minutia_R



Category: One of My Kind - Concrete Blonde (Song)
Genre: Aliens, Gen, Other, POV First Person, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23632024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minutia_R/pseuds/Minutia_R
Summary: Two strangers meet outside a club. One of them isn't what they seem.The night's about to get stranger and more dangerous.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7
Collections: Jukebox 2020





	Two of a Kind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Measured_Words](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured_Words/gifts).



> Thanks to I for looking this over!

You want the truth? Fine.

I was using you to get into the club. That’s all. You were tall, you were confident, you looked great--look, you’re doing it right now, your eyes twinkling and that crease by the side of your mouth, of course the bouncer was going to let you in, what human could resist you?

But me, I’m not human. You’ve figured that out already.

We’re chameleons, my kind. Made to be that way. I’ve lived among humans for years, and you’re the first one who’s ever suspected I’m not. And yeah, you’re clearly pretty smart--stop _smiling_ at me like that--but you also got some clues that no one else ever did. My kind, though, we can tell. I’ve figured out some tricks to stay ahead of them for this long, but it was only a matter of time before they found me.

If you’re thinking that I’m some sort of martyr, a rebel, a hero, someone worth saving, get that thought out of your head. I was only ever selfish, from the day I broke free of my cocoon too early and decided I wanted no part of our mission on Earth, until the day I walked up to a stranger outside a club and said, “You’re too cute to be here without a date.”

I know. It was an awful line. I know! But it worked, didn’t it? I didn’t even have to break out the pheromones or the subliminal vibrations before you reached out and ruffled my hair. “And you think you can fix that for me, eh?” you said.

What do you mean, you’d already kind of figured I was in trouble? And you didn’t get the hell out of the way? Ugh! You’re so--never mind, just hold still, this is going to sting a little.

I learned that from TV. I’ve had to learn a lot of things from TV. I know how to fix a bleeding human.

Anyway, you took my hand and pulled me into the club, and just like I figured, the bouncer didn’t give you any trouble. And he sure wasn’t going to remember _me_ if any of my former creche-mates came asking.

Pffff. I’m not selling myself short. My plan was great. It should have worked. It had worked often enough before.

I guess that was the problem--I was repeating myself, getting sloppy. They were bound to work it out sooner or later. So it was dumb, but I thought I was safe once I was inside. I let my guard down enough to dance with you when you asked me. I didn’t want you to get suspicious or--

I _am_ telling the truth!

Okay. I liked it. Happy? Don’t answer that.

I liked dancing with you, your body pressed up against mine, the bass beat rattling us both, the heat of your breath against my ear. I told you, I’m selfish. I like Earth, and I like human things. I never wanted to destroy it, but it’s not like I ever did anything to help you, did I?

That doesn’t count. I never tried to save humanity in all my years on the run, is what I mean. I never… I guess I never thought I’d get this long.

Anyway, when you offered to get me a drink--you’d started to suspect something wasn’t quite right with me, I think. Did you think I was a vampire? Did you wonder whether I’d drink beer? I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, though. I was thinking that the bar was on the second story, where catwalks circled the dance floor, and I could keep an eye out for trouble just in case.

Which turned out to be the right thing to be thinking, because while you were at the bar getting drinks, I spotted N-17 in the crowd below. They were using the same tricks I had, masking their own trail with the heat and bio-signatures of the sweaty, heart-racing dancers. But by then they were close enough to ID by sight. I ran, and they abandoned caution and drew their phase-gun.

There were screams. Something shattered. I thought I heard at least two more pursuers, but I didn’t have time to look back and make sure. I took a running leap, drew my own phase-gun at the same time. Shot out the window and burst into the night air, clear and shockingly cold. My trajectory brought me to a telephone line, and I grabbed it one-handed, zipping between the buildings with the stars bright overhead.

Home free. Until I made one mistake--I looked back. There were three of them on the roof of the club, and L-23’s phase bolt had gone wide, because some idiot human had followed them up to the roof and tried to interfere.

What else is there to say? I don’t need to tell you the rest. You were there. Yeah, I guess I saved you. Yeah, maybe I would have gotten away clean if I hadn’t. What does it matter now? There’s nowhere left to run.

There you go. All bandaged up. It’s not pretty, but it’ll hold until you get to a human hospital. My former creche-mates won’t bother you anymore. It’s me they’re after.

What do you care? I’m not even human.

Hey, are you--are you crying? Stop that! Don’t--

Okay. Fine. Fine!

I guess we’re in this together.


End file.
